Across the nation, working professionals are seeking to advance their careers and
broaden their options through higher education. At The University of Southern Mississippi,
a fully online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education Student Affairs offers
the flexibility and career relevance many of these students need.

Dr. Holly Foster, advisor for this online master’s degree, says those who choose a
career in student affairs are focused on the development of their students. “A career
in student affairs is a commitment,” says Foster. “These staff are advising students,
managing academic and entertainment programs, and developing future leaders in areas
such as residence life, Greek life and student government.”

Foster says student affairs professionals are busy doing administrative work as well
as one-on-one interactions with students. “These types of jobs are very demanding.
That is why our online Higher Education Student Affairs M.Ed. is fully online,” says
Foster. “This saves our students time and money by not having to travel to campus.”

According to Foster, the fully online masters is a perfect fit for community college
and university staff working in admissions, academic advising, residence life, student
counseling centers, career services, and financial aid, just to mention a few. “Of
course the program is a perfect fit for a college staffer looking to improve their
resume while also learning new skills to help their students,” says Foster.

One of the many benefits of the program, according to Foster, is that it expands the
knowledge of those completing the degree. “We offer the foundational courses, such
as administration and student development,” says Foster. “But we also go beyond the
basics by offering expanded courses in areas such as social justice, legal issues,
and assessment.”

Dr. Tom Hutchinson, director of the Office of Online Learning at Southern Miss, notes
that the fully online Higher Education Student Affairs M.Ed. program is filling a
void. “Our program is fully online and is meeting the university’s goals of reaching
students who cannot make it to campus.”

In addition, Hutchinson says the program is perfect for students who started a master’s
degree but did not finish it. “We want to increase the number of students who are
earning advanced degrees,” says Hutchinson. “To meet that need, Southern Miss will
accept up to 12 hours of transfer credit as long as they were not used toward a previous
degree.

Dr. Amy Chasteen, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, reinforces the benefits
of this program to college and university staffers across the nation. “At Southern
Miss we focus on quality,” says Chasteen. “We know that those working in student affairs
have a passion for higher education. We share that same passion for offering the highest
quality degree with faculty dedicated to student success.”